Chapter 5 Lionette and Timtam come home
by James Neal
Summary: Lionette and Timtam arrive back on their home world of Ty Prime. Lionette is to be given the honor of presenting her plan to hide the Jedi, Mykala, from the agents of the Emperor. Meanwhile Timtam runs into a secret lover from her past. If Lionette were to find out about the affair Timtam would be severely punished.


Chapter 5

Lionette and Timtam come home

"Lady Lionette, your ship has been identified and has been locked into our tractor beam. You will dock at the south tower in two minutes. Welcome home Princess." said the voice on the Blood Claw's comm-system.

"It is good to be home, thank you captain." Lionette released the controls to the tower personnel. Timtam was busy touching up Lionette's hair and make up.

"Enough Timtam! Must you over do everything?" Lionette snapped.

"I'm sorry mistress but if you don't look perfect I will be blamed not you." Timtam responded continuing her last second touch ups.

Lionette stood up abruptly and walked to the rear hatch. She motioned for Timtam to take her position next to her. Timtam jammed the cosmetic case and other essentials back into the closet and took her place just in time. The rear hatch opened onto the Royal landing pad to unveil a scene of opulence. There were musicians playing the clan anthem dressed in the finest robes. The house honor guard stood ten deep on each side at full attention. These were not just ceremonial warriors as each one was a highly decorated veteran. The docking platform itself was decorated with carvings and traditional trapping giving it the look of a palace balcony.

The captain of the guard approached Lionette and bowed.

"Thank you colonel everything looks wonderful, your welcome is spectacular as always." Lionette said taking his hand.

"Your father is waiting in the main hall my lady. He has talked of nothing else but your home coming for the last two days. Allow me to be the first to tell you how proud he is of your exploits." the captain said beaming. He was of an older branch of the Feloid race known as a beast type. They have much more of an animal appearance than Lionette's race. In Feloid culture no distinction is made in the different outward appearances. Family history is the most important thing as far as Feloids are concerned. The colonel had a magnificent thick mane of hair and beard, he stood nearly two feet taller than Lionette and twice as broad. Lionette had grown up with the colonel always around someplace. He was one of her father's most trusted soldiers.

Timtam noticed one of the honor guard standing almost next to the platform. It was Drethas, a secret lover of hers. Timtam nearly fainted, he was supposed to have been taking a post near the rim boundary. What could have gone wrong? He just stood there eyes forward. He made her weak just looking at him. He was a highly decorated officer. Maxis Ty himself had even given him the house medal of valor. If it were found out they had been lovers it would wreck his carrier and Timtam would be sent to the maids quarters in disgrace. He was so handsome, it made her crazy not to be with him.

"Timtam, stop daydreaming and come along." Lionette and the colonel had already began to walk to the great hall. Timtam hurried to catch up, she had better relax or Lionette would suspect something was wrong.

They walked down a long hallway guilded in gold and ivory. Lionettes family was very powerful and had a long history. It was not always a proud history and many of the clan leaders in the past were down right monsters. In their traditions the past can be forgiven if the heirs make amends for the past transgressions. Luckily for Lionette her father and grandfather had no past sins to be left for her to amend.

This was always one of Lionette's favorite places in the palace. Along the walls were paintings and statues of her ancestors and records of their past bravery. She had wanted to have a painting or statue of herself here one day for as long as she could remember.

"Lionette!" a familiar voice came from down the hall. It was her younger sister Cheena. She idolized Lionette and couldn't wait for her return. The girl came running toward Lionette as if she had returned from the dead. Cheena grabbed Lionette and hugged her so hard they almost fell over. The two girls laughed with joy at seeing one another again.

"So what are the humans like? Are they as wild as the stories say? Is it true they only obey their laws if it suits them at that moment?" She was full of questions. Cheena was in training to become an ambassador and she had hoped to be given a post on a human world. She had always found the stories about their wild ways fascinating although she really didn't believe most of them.

"We will talk much of these things but first I must honor our father with my news and then we shall spend time together." Lionette said remembering she was home and must maintain her family dignity in public.

They walked down the hall and to the main entryway. The huge staircase loomed before them. At the top was her father in his chambers. Lionette had thought long and hard about what to tell him about her time away from home. She had become very interested in the ways and traditions of the other races and found some of their ways, dare she say it, superior.

She knew her father would not find this a good thing. He would see it as a sign of her weakness and a lack of conviction on her part. She would not have to tell him this unless he asked so it was very possible it would not come up. They had reached the top of the stairs and had made it to the gigantic doors that opened into the great hall.

Timtam knew this is as far as she could go. Slaves were not allowed in the great hall. There were freeborn servants to attend the needs of the warriors. This was a place of honor and not for slaves. She went to the long bench were the other slaves sat. Lionette surprised her and grabbed her hand. "Thank you for all you do Timtam, wait here for me." Lionette smiled at Timtam and walked towards the huge doors alone. The other slaves looked in amazement at Timtam. No high born would have done a thing like that in front of slaves. To show a slave any gratitude in any way was unthinkable. Timtam walked past the other slaves in shock. She sat on the end of the bench all by herself wondering what had just happened.

The doors opened as if by magic as Lionette approached. Several servants from inside the room had pulled them open. The chief regent announced Lionette's arrival as she walked into the room.

The first thing she noticed was her younger brother Mundis Char, seated at her father's right side in the chair reserved for her.

"A fine home coming indeed to find myself usurped by my own brother." Lionette had stopped halfway across the room and made the accusation loud enough for all present to hear.

"Having lived with the dreaded humans I see you have lost your sense of propriety and have taken up their foul misguided yelps of injustice." the young man said standing.

They both stood for a moment with eyes locked on each other.

Lionette let out a laugh." Oh my brother why must you always be the jester of the family?" Lionette smiled as her brother hurried down the steps to greet her. He took both her hands and kissed her on each cheek.

"Forgive me sister, I couldn't resist the thought of you seeing me in your chair." he said leading her up the stairs to her place next to her father.

Lionette knelt before her father and took his out stretched hand and placed it on top of her head as a symbol of his authority over her. The great Maxis Ty stood and bid his daughter to join him standing.

"My daughter has returned from her first journey beyond our borders and she has brought great honor to the clan, this a proud day for not only myself but for the entire clan of Ty." Maxis Ty took his daughters hand and held it in triumph in the air. The room erupted in a unanimous cheer. The princess had returned with honor. They had received reports of the many battles she had been in and the thanks she had been given by the leaders of the rebellion. There was nothing but praise for the daughter of Maxis Ty.

Lionette looked out over the warriors in the great hall. She had grown up in their shadow. These warriors that had preceded her in deeds now honored her.

All but one cheered. She sought out her face only to find it without joy in her return. It struck her like a bolt of lightening. Her Jedi master Verasia was there in the hall and she didn't seem happy at Lionette's return. Although Lionette was not a Jedi she had been trained in their fighting style and even been given a light saber. The Feloids have had a long history of supporting all Jedi causes ever since they helped end The War of the Clans a full two centuries ago. It had been a long standing gesture for Jedis to teach clan leaders their fighting style and to equip them with light sabers in exchange for safe haven to all Jedis when it was necessary. The Feloids have many clans and each one has a large fleet of star ships. Although each clan is independent they all band together in times of war with outsiders. When this happens the Feloids can field a massive fleet of some of the best star ships in the galaxy crewed by some of the best warriors known to exist.

Lionette couldn't understand why Verasia wouldn't be happy to see her. She had done nothing but behave with honor and fairness. Why would she want to make her feel badly on the happiest day of her life? Lionette was becoming angry, she had done nothing wrong.

Tintam looked at the other slaves. They had all been watching her with curiosity ever since Lionette gave her thanks in public. They all turned away in unison and began to look at anything but Timtam.

Time dragged on and as usual and all the slaves sat in silence. It had become a very awkward several hours for Timtam. It was always hard to have to wait on the bench with nothing to do but now she had become the focus of attention. The catgirl slaves were conversing in their secret way with each other but they were all discussing Timtam. She was being excluded from the conversation and could only occasionally pick up on the things being discussed. It seemed she was no longer trusted by them and was quickly becoming an outsider in their cast. She had to do something fast. Her life would be unbearable if the other slaves no longer trusted her. Timtam stood up and walked across the hall to the other side. The guards at the great door both looked at her but said nothing. She would have to do something more. She picked up small vase and began to look at it.

"You there, put that down and return to the bench." said one of the guards.

Timtam just looked at him for a moment and said," Did you not see the princess compliment me? Who do you think you are speaking to?"

The other slaves gasped in horror. How dare she speak to a free born that way.

The guard walked over and grabbed the vase from Timtams hand and but it back. "You will be reported to the princess for this insult!" the guard then grabbed Timtam and forced her back onto the bench.

Lionette was getting tired of the celebration. She had tried to find her jedi master to confront her but found she had left early. The regent had informed her that one of the guards needed to speak with her. Lionette was glad for the distraction and excused herself to see what he wanted. The guard bowed and told Lionette what Timtam had said to him in the hallway. She was shocked and angry. Is this how Timtam repaid her kindness? She, a princess, had shown her thanks only for her to insult a freeborn while she was being honored in the very next room. Lionette had the guard escort her to the hallway and where Timtam was sitting. The other slaves slid down as far from Timtam as they could being sure not to fall off the bench. Lionette stood in front of Timtam."What do you have to say for yourself?"snapped Lionette, her voice was stern and without any of the earlier compassion it once held. Timtam knew Lionette was not asking her side of the story she would never as a princess take a slave's version of what happened over a freeborns. She knew she was already considered to be guilty.

"I have no excuse mistress." Timtam said with out looking up.

Lionette paced back and forth for a few seconds and then stopped. "Five!" she said to the guard. She was so mad she wouldn't even punish Timtam herself. The guard grabbed Timtam and forced her to her knees on the floor. Timtam knew what she must do and pulled her hair up on top of her head and knelt all the way forward till her forehead touched the floor exposing her bare back. The guard took out his slave stick and gave Timtam five lashes across her back. He then grabbed her roughly and pulled her to her feet facing Lionette. "Go to my quarters and wait for me there!" Lionette had not been this angry at Timtam for a long long time. Timtam glanced at the other slaves as she left and saw they were giving her a sign in their secret language to be brave. Timtam smiled as she went to Lionette's quarters.

Lionette returned to the great hall after thanking the guard and composing herself. She would not think about Timtam or her jedi master anymore tonight. How could she have been so stupid? Her whole life she had been warned about showing compassion to slaves and now she saw what happened when she did. Timtam had turned disrespectful almost immediately. Things would have to be different from now on between them. Perhaps they had spent to much time alone together. She had been told not to trust catgirls since she was a child and now she could see why. They have ways of turning your mind it was said and now it had been done to her. Lionette Ty would not be bested by a simple catgirl. She would make Timtam learn respect from her as she should have done all along.

Timtam looked in the mirror at her back. The lashes hadn't broken the skin so she wasn't bleeding. She was nervous because she new she had gone to far this time. She didn't have time to think her plan out. All she wanted to do was to be yelled at or shown some contempt from Lionette so the other slaves would still trust her but she had gone too far when she was disrespectful to the guard. Lionette could not have over looked that in her position. Suddenly Timtam heard a sound from the balcony. She had come into Lionette's quarters from the servant's entrance and would not have been heard by anyone in the main areas. She peeked out from behind the curtains quietly to see who it could be. At first she saw nothing but then in the shadows she saw a figure in the shadows on the balcony. It was a large male dressed in a fine uniform. It was Drethas! The warrior she had made love to before. What was he doing here? Had he come to see her? What terrible timing. Lionette would be coming back from the celebration at any time now. She would have to get rid of him quickly. Just then the door opened and in came Lionette. Timtam could see she was still angry as she paced back and forth in the front room. From were Timtam was she could see Drethas had moved closer toward the front room. He must think it was Timtam that had just come in. Timtam needed to act quickly or else Drethas would come out thinking Lionette was her. Timtam ran out from behind the curtain and straight toward Lionette. In this way Lionette would have her back toward Drethas and he would see it was Lionette that had come in and not her so he could leave quietly.

"Please forgive me mistress!" Timtam said as she threw herself at Lionette's feet. "I don't know what had come over me and I am sorry!" Timtam was sure this display would warn Drethas of his mistake and at the same time keep Lionette focused on her.

"I don't care how sorry you think you are Timtam I have been far to easy on you and now I will have to show you just how sorry you can be." Lionette said angrily.

Timtam glanced past Lionette to see Drethas still advancing toward Lionette.

Lionette's combat reflexes suddenly kicked in but not fast enough. Drethas had already thrust his knife into warm flesh. Lionette looked in horror as she watched the blade sink deep into Timtam. She had leapt just in time to take the blow for her mistress. Almost with out thought Lionette had pulled the dagger from it's sheath high on her leg. She spun once to reposition herself and slashed Drethas's throat wide open. He fell still holding the knife in Timtam's stomach. He fell full force on top of Timtam hitting the floor hard. Drethas was on his back trying to stop the blood spurting from his neck. He was looking at Lionette angrily. Lionette fell to her knees next to Timtam. Timtam was starring at the dagger sticking in her stomach. She reached around behind her and said," It's sticking all the way through mistress, is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Lionette got up and called for help on the comm-system. Lionette rushed back to Timtam's side and cradled her head in her hands, there was nothing she could do but watch her slowly slip away.

Lionette stood alone in the room. She was a princess and could not dare be seen weeping over a slave. Especially one she had just had disciplined for being impudent to a freeborn. She wished she and Timtam had never returned to their home. She wished they were with their friends a half of a galaxy away.

"My lady, you may come and see her now." said the attendant. Lionette walked quickly into the next room. There were instruments and high-tech equipment everywhere. In the center of the room was a large bacta tank filled with the life saving fluid that now was doing it's work on Timtam. She floated midway in the solution with half a dozen tubes stuck in her. She looked terrible but it was all necessary for her to survive. She had been in the tank for two days as the doctors worked on stabilizing her wound. Lionette had been able to get Timtam the help she needed just in time.

Her father's security forces had not been able to find out why a highly decorated officer would try to kill his daughter. There didn't seem to be any logical reason for it. Although assassination was not unusual in Feloid clans this attempt made no sense at all. Drethas was always unquestionably one of the clans finest warriors.

"So how is your slave today?" asked Char. He and Cheena had quietly come in the room behind Lionette.

"The doctors say she will make a full recovery." Lionette said restraining her joy.

"There is still no reason anyone can find for Drethas to have done this I understand. What do you think Lionette?" Cheena asked as she walked around the bacta tank fascinated.

"I honestly don't know. I only met him once when he brought Timtam to our summer home in the mountains over a year ago." Lionette said still looking at Timtam floating in the liquid.

"Perhaps they were secret lovers and he wished to have you out of the way so he could buy her and have her all to himself." Char said smiling.

"Char! This is no time for your jests. A loyal warrior has almost killed our sister!" Cheena shot back at Char.

"Forgive me sister, my jokes are just my poor way to deal with tragedy." Char said with sincerity.

Lionette turned and looked at Char. She studied his face for any signs he was serious.

"What is it Lionette?" Char said noticing her starring at him.

"Yes I agree with Cheena, no more jests about this please." Lionette looked back at Timtam.

Lionette had a meeting with her father that next morning. She had wanted to go and see Timtam to check on her progress but she felt that she had grown too attached to the catgirl slave. Lionette sent a freeborn servant to check instead. The servant had not returned yet and she was becoming angry. Was it impossible for the princess to get some information from one part of the palace to the other? There was no more time to waste, she must go to the meeting without further delay.

Lionette hurried down the hall with one of the house servant girls that had been assigned to her. The girl wasn't needed for anything special but to go and fetch whatever Lionette wanted at any moment.

"What is your name girl?" Lionette asked as they hurried along.

"Tepia Vreg my lady." the girl said as she bowed slightly as she tried to keep up with Lionette.

"Vreg, Vreg, there is a captain on my fathers flag ship with that name, are you a relation of his?" Lionette asked being polite.

"Yes my lady, he is my father." the girl said.

"Ah, excellent! He is a wonderful officer and highly regarded. I believe we shall do well together." Lionette said as she smiled at the girl who smiled with relief in return.

They both entered the meeting room just as it was opened. The room was wide with a very low ceiling, maybe only seven feet high. Some of her father's advisers would have to stoop over to walk around in here. The room was copied from the ancient caves that the early Feloids plotted their overthrow of the gods in there legends. The furnishings were primitive and plain as in the olden days. Tradition was thick in this place. The only light came from oil lamps and a large fire pit in the center of the room.

The others began to arrive now so Lionette took her seat next to her father's place. She was proud of the plan she had contrived and was excited about explaining it to the council. Once all the others arrived and were seated she began her presentation.

"Members of the council I am proud to be addressing this distinguished body for the first time. As you know a new jedi named Mykala has been found to have the power of teleportation. You also know that this power is triggered by any attack strong enough to kill her. This power makes her invulnerable; she is immune from death by combat. My plan is a simple one. Mykayla has been placed on one of my hand picked ships for the time being. From time to time she will be transferred to another one of my hand picked ships. This randomness should make it impossible for the agents of the empire to find her." Lionette had finished and awaited the praise of her genius.

"Didn't you trick one of your captains into giving the empire false information?" asked one of the members.

"Yes, he was a suspected traitor, and by passing on the false information he confirmed it." Lionette replied.

"So by showing the empire the false information wouldn't this lead them closer to the real plan?" asked a second member.

" How do you mean?" asked Lionette.

"It seems obvious, by showing the empire that his information was wrong that would lead them to pursue other possibilities." the first member said.

Lionette looked at her father for some sort of support but he just sat there looking down. She was on her own. They were right she had not considered the fact that she had inadvertently gave the empire a clue to her real plan.

"It would be almost impossible for the empire to find out what ship she was on." Lionette said in her defense.

"You greatly underestimate the empire's resources princess, they need only to watch all of your ships. Just how many do you have under your command?" asked another member. They all seemed to become concerned at this point.

"I have thirty ships." Lionette answered.

"And how many were there at your meeting of the captains?" asked another.

Lionette had realized her mistake." There were five including the traitor's ship."

"So the empire need only check on those four ships that I feel is safe to assume the traitor had told them of." said Maxis Ty.

Lionette hung her head in disgrace. She had put the whole plan and Mykala's life in jeopardy.

"Lionette, I order you to recall all of those ships this minute." Maxis Ty said as he walked out of the chamber.

"Yes my lord." Lionette said quietly. She had failed and in doing so put the entire plan on the Emperor's plate. She went to the comm-system and gave the recall code to the four ships. She stood alone in the chamber with Tepia or so she thought. In the far corner back in the shadows was her old jedi master Verasia.

"How proud are you today princess? Asked the figure in the corner.

"Why did you let that happen?" Lionette said as she took a step toward the cloaked figure.

"Humility is a skill best learned when it is burned into the soul." came the reply.

"I looked like a fool, I did everything wrong. You could have helped me." Lionette said.

"I don't remember you asking for help when you came up with the plan. I do not remember you consulting anyone. Why shouldn't you take full responsibility for your plan if it failed."

Lionette stood frozen with rage. Everything Verasia, her master, said was right she only cared about impressing everyone and didn't think about the plan not working. Her quest for glory had embarrassed her father and shown her peers she was far from worthy of their support. She let her pride lead her thoughts and now Mykala and the crews of the four ships were in danger.

"What can I do to fix this. I can't let anything happen to Mykala.." Lionette was looking for some way out of the mess she had made.

"Lionette, this is one of those times that all your power and influence can't help you. You can only hope they can return in time." said Verasia.

"Than what can I do?" Lionette pleaded.

Verasia came close to Lionette and pulled back her hood exposing her horned head and long black hair. She gently grabbed Lionette by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Learn the lesson, except the humiliation, and get back into the fight."

It was very clear now to Lionette. This day was bound to happen, the day she would be wrong about everything. Lionette new what she had to do, she smiled at Verasia and ran after her father down the hall.

"My lord!" she called. "Father, please."

Maxis Ty and his advisers stopped and turned.

"I was wrong about everything, I beg the council's forgiveness. Please show me what I should have done." Lionette had stopped and was on one knee.

"You should have asked those with more experience first!" Maxis yelled shocking everyone in the hallway.

"However in your failure you have made the wise decision to learn how not to do it again. This is the most important quality in a leader, to be humble enough to fix his mistakes and to admit he has made them." Maxis said. "It seems you are learning to be a great leader." Maxis said as he bid his daughter to rise. "You will find that you never can learn everything. Life is about learning from your mistakes" Maxis said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"And do you still make mistakes?" asked Lionette.

"Ridiculous! Maxis Ty has never made a mistake in his life."

All of Lionette's ships returned safely. Mykala was sent to a safe house under Maxis Ty's personal protection. Everything had been made right again. Lionette was happy to see that Timtam was almost fully recovered. The bacta tank had worked it's miracles on poor Timtam's wound to the point that the scar was almost gone completely. After a few months no one would be able to tell it ever happened.

Lionette entered the room were Timtam was resting. It was the first time Timtam had seen her since that night when she was stabbed. When she saw Lionette she began to cry. Lionette stopped in her tracks and rolled her eyes, "Must she cry at everything?" she said to herself.

Timtam had her arms outstretched for Lionette to come and give her a hug. Lionette sat on the edge of the bed and gave Timtam a hug. Timtam squeezed Lionette as hard as she could "I'm sorry mistress, I'm more trouble than I'm worth." Timtam sobbed.

"Nonsense Timtam, you are my only true friend." Lionette whispered in her ear.

"Mistress don't say such things, it will only make things more difficult for both of us." Timtam said releasing Lionette. "You must always think of me as your slave and nothing more I beg you."

"I understand Timtam." Lionette replied. "Is there anything else you wish to say?"

Timtam knew Lionette suspected Timtam had something to do with the attempt on her life.

"I knew the man that tried to kill you." Timtam said.

"Yes I know, he brought you to the summer house last year." Lionette said.

Timtam just looked at Lionette with her lower lip quivering. Lionette realized what this meant.

"Timtam!" Lionette said standing up suddenly.

"It was only the one time mistress, I had no idea he would ever want to hurt you." Timtam recoiled waiting to be hit.

Lionette grabbed Timtam and shook her." Listen to me you little fool! You must never breathe a word f this to anyone!" Lionette was doing her best to keep her voice down. "If anyone found out about this they wouldn't just send you away they would execute you, do you understand? You have had a previous relationship with the man that tried to kill me they will say you were in on it!" Lionette was furious at Timtam's foolishness.

Lionette let go of Timtam and began to pace back and forth. Timtam just sat in the bed bouncing up and down. "What will happen to me mistress? What will they do to me?" she said.

"They will do nothing, we're leaving tonight. I will make an excuse and you will talk to no one do you understand!" Lionette said still pacing. Timtam just shook her head to let Lionette know she would do as she was told. Timtam was crying and held the blanket up to wipe the tears from her face.

"How is your slave today sister?" asked Cheena as she walked into the room.

Lionette wheeled to see her younger sister enter the room. She turned away momentarily and composed herself. "Do not worry about her. She is crying for good reason. I have just given her a good tongue lashing about getting herself stabbed to death. She must have thought I needed to be saved by her, a slave." Lionette walked calmly over to her sister and taking her by the arm walked out of the room with her. "We won't talk in front of her, she needs time to think about what she has done." Lionette said in her most superior tone.

"I'm glad you have come sister I want you to do me a favor, you are the only one I can trust." Lionette said quietly.

"Yes anything Lionette." Cheena said drawing closer.

"I have to leave tonight on a mission of utmost secrecy. I am going back to meet up with my friends in the rebellion to tie up some loose ends. I was hoping you would give father this information for me in person." Lionette said.

"Of coarse sister, you can depend on me." Cheena said.

Lionette had Timtam escorted too the Blood Claw by Tepia Vreg. Tepia had seized this opportunity to serve Lionette with unquestioning loyalty. She never asked about any orders she was given. The two arrived at the appointed time precisely. Lionette was already on board waiting.

"Are you certain you won't be needing me my lady?" Tepia asked Lionette. She had noticed how shaky Timtam seemed.

"Thank you Tepia but I'm sure my slave will be good as new in a day or so." Lionette said as the rear hatch closed. Timtam sat in one of the rear seats in silence. Lionette had climbed into the cockpit and was receiving the proper clearance for her departure. As she forwarded the information to her astrodroid she looked back at Timtam. She looked miserable.

Lionette had seen her this way before. As a slave Timtam had no control over her life for the most part. But once in a while she would do something without Lionette's permission. Most of the time it was something of little consequence, other times it may be something she could get into real trouble over. This kind of behavior was expected and tolerated to a certain extent by most free borns. However Timtam had slept with Lionette's would be assassin. No free born would believe that Timtam had not been a part of the assassination attempt. Even though she had been stabbed they would have said she had gotten cold feet and tried to stop the attempt.

The Blood Claw sped thru the outward boundaries of Feloid space. Soon they would be with old friends and be able to let time and distance from home erase the events of the last few days.

"Timtam are you feeling okay?" Lionette had climbed into the rear of the ship with Timtam.

"Oh mistress I feel terrible about everything, I have betrayed you and I can't stop feeling badly about it." Timtam said quietly looking at the floor.

"Timtam I must tell you something you may find hard to believe." Lionette said. "The other day I gave my presentation to the council about my plan." she said looking at the little slave in front of her. "It was a disaster."

Timtam looked up slowly at Lionette.

"My fantastic plan was not as fantastic as I had hoped. To be honest with you I came very close to causing Mykala and my loyal crews to be captured and killed."

" I was thinking of only what I wanted at the time, and so I wanted the plan to be good so I believed it was." Lionette looked deeply into Timtam's eyes.

"I did exactly what you did with Drethas. You wanted it to be a good idea to be with him as I wanted my plan to be good." Lionette stood up.

"I fell to my knee and begged my father for his forgiveness, and he gave me a second chance." Lionette put her hands on Timtam's shoulders as Verasia had done with her. "I think we should forgive ourselves and learn from our mistakes and not have them rule over us."

Timtam sat up and gave Lionette a little smile." Your kindness makes it hard to forgive myself mistress but I shall try."

"We will both have to try and forgive ourselves.

"I'm glad we are leaving home, there are a lot less problems when we are away I think." Timtam said as she turned and looked out the main view port.

"I must admit I do enjoy it out here away from the pressures of being a royal." Lionette had moved and was sitting next to Timtam. They both sat and watched the stars flash by as they flew through hyperspace. It was a hypnotic scene to be sure.


End file.
